Prozen's Knight
by chcraven
Summary: Post evopolous setting, Raven takes up a position inside the GF to sell info to an underground weapons dealer in exchange for a zoid. There's more to it than was bargined for as the water starts to boil...If nothing else it's well writen...
1. Redemption

Hello fans and people reading my work for the first time, This is the first fan fic I've done In a while so I will call it my 'return from retirement' fic. It takes place a few mounths after episode 67, Return to another tommorrow (or just after the end of the chaotic century guardian force series for those of who are into the show but not enough to memorize episodes).

R&R please and thank you.

* * *

Prozen's Knight 

Ch. 1 Redemption

Guitars roar, screaming singers, armed moshers, and drug induced laughter make the night tremble while filling the ears of millions of fans and people looking to have a party. Somewhere in the masses of the adrenaline high Goths, punks, freaks, emos, and posers, a beautiful 17 year old girl moved her body to the music as if it controlled her directly. Dishwater blonde hair reaching her ankles pulled into a ponytail at the base of her skull by a big white ribbon flicked her neighbors wildly. Her stormy sky brown eyes were glazed with lust and ecstasy.

She was 5'8", perfectly curvy with dark freckles lining her eyes in the shape of a coon's mask. Her sun kissed with a copper shade skin glistened with sweat and hypnotized with the way she moved in the ever-changing twilight. She leaned pulled her anonymous dance partner down into a passion heated kissed. When he pulled away, she dragged him back and held his nose tightly sucking in what air he had stolen at their parting. He fought against her, suffocating. She slid a hidden knife out from behind belt buckle and stabbed him slicing from the navel to the arch of his rib cage. Allowing the body to slip from her fingers, she continued to dance stabbing three more people without anyone even noticing their passing. Her name was engraved in a large gold jingle bell draped around her neck, Fang.

Van and Thomas stepped out on the wooden porch of the city hall building. "Thank you for your help," Van shook the man's hand and followed Thomas.

"You've been quiet," He stated bending to look at the front of Thomas's face. Thomas shot a glance over his shoulder.

"That bum's been tailing us since we got here."

A person so heavily clothed in rags and filth that the bum's gender was undeterminable walked a fair distance behind them, not bothering to hide the fact he was following them. A hood completely covered his face to the point it was unclear how he was able to see where he was going much less other people. Suspicious that his shoes, black combat boots, were the cleanest articles of clothing he had on. Van's tone went serious, "Yeah I noticed, doesn't matter though."

Thomas huffed, "Probably just lookin' for suckers to give him whiskey money."

"Yeah, maybe," Van laughed looking back himself. "He's gone."

"Huh," Thomas turned completely.

"Maybe he wasn't following us," Van suggested.

"Then explain why he went with us to city hall and stayed until we left," Thomas pointed.

"Coincidence," Van replied. Thomas gave him a dirty look. "Point, you win."

They started walking again, "Where should we start looking for those stolen zoids?"

Van grunted in annoyance, "Might as well start with the woods! After all that's where they always are! For once I'd like to see a bit of originality in these idiots."

Thomas laughed for the first time since they arrived. "The woods it is!"

They hiked for two hours in the zoids until Beek's sensors picked up a low signal. Thomas whispered through a smirk, "Gottcha."

"When are they gonna learn," Van stated when he got the information on the liger's side screen.

Once again on foot, they looked out across a small meadow hiding three tents. Van shook his head, "Tsk."

Thomas glanced at him with a bored expression. He caught Van's attention and rolled his eyes. Creeping under the tall grass to avoid detection, they snuck over to the tents. Armed and standing outside the closest of the tents, Van covered one end while Thomas took the other. Charging in, they shouted, "Freeze!"

Both were dumbstruck to find that no one was in the tent and that they were pointing their guns at one another. "Wha?"

The clicking of guns sounded behind each. Feeling the barrels press into their backs, they disarmed themselves to the tune of chuckles from behind.

"Bag their hands and cuff them. We'll take um to the compound," ordered their captures' leader.

Van and Thomas were stuffed into a normal sized cell in the hanger bay. They were both frustrated, being so close to the enemy, the cargo, and having no way to escape or take action to acknowledge it. They each sat silently, fuming and festering.

"You had to have your 'bit of originality'," Thomas taunted.

"Shuddap," Van growled.

More of their captures' giggles gave sound to the area but this time the slurred song of a drunk accompanied them. Both Van and Thomas were surprised to see that the drunk, being supported by on of their captures, was their homeless stalker. His voice was very masculine but youthful and thick with liquor. He carried a bottle in one hand and directed his tune with the other.

They opened the cell, pushing Van and Thomas to the back. "Alright, buddy, in ya go."

His supporter dropped him inside the cell. They closed and locked it back. The drunken bum scrambled to his feet and hung on the bars, "Hey come back! I don't wanna drink alone!"

Van and Thomas shot smirks at one another. One came back, "Alright, come on."

He held his hand out for the bottle. The drunk passed it and rambled off a thank you and story about the last time he drank alone. When he tried to take the bottle back for a swig, the capture pushed him down and laughed.

He landed on his stomach and face with a crack that made van and Thomas cringe. He pushed himself up a little, "Ow…you son of a…."

He collapsed and fell limply, erupting in loud snores. Van barely restrained a laugh himself as the capture walked away with the drunk's bottle.

Three minutes passed and the snores suddenly stopped and the drunk got to his with grace, searching his rages for something. He removed a 6-inch switchblade from one of the many pockets and turned toward Thomas. His voice was clean and dead serious, "Bend over."

Thomas stared at him stupidly, blinked several times, and then hooked his foot around one of the bum's legs knocking him down. Van lifted his right foot and brought it down quickly to hit him in the chest. The bum was faster and a lot more agile than he appeared, having rolled to dodge Van's leg and move behind Thomas, covering his mouth and throwing out a leg to press the toe of his boot toe Van's. He grabbed Thomas's hands as he tried to scoot away with his free hand and started to pick at the lock on the cuffs.

Both gave a sigh of relief, Thomas falling back on the bum's shoulder. He chuckled and let go of both their mouths. "No offence-," Van's started.

"None taken I swear it, I would've reacted the same way-," The bum announced.

"Yeah, but I thought you meant-," Thomas cut in.

"I know, I didn't realize until it was already said. You're done," He popped Thomas's shoulder before getting up to unlock Van's cuffs.

Van scooted forward to give him some room, "You're really quick, how do you move in that outfit?"

"With style," He laughed. Van and Thomas laughed too. "You should see me do the 'robot' in this thing. It's awesome."

All of them broke into a giggle fit. Thomas, still trying to breathe, asked, "Who are you anyway?"

Their new friend sighed with an air of regret, "Someone you're probably never going to meet again."

"Come on, don't be like that! What's your name," Van persisted.

"No one," he pushed Van a little. "You're done."

He put the knife away, standing, and looked over the bars. "Ok Mr. No One, why did you follow us earlier," Van asked, deciding not to push him.

Thomas watched him curious as to what he was doing. He answered, "I wanted to help."

"Why," Thomas asked. "Most, well, people…like…you, mind their own business."

He grabbed two of the lower bars and twisted them. One screwed out of place and the other didn't. His voice was serious and sad sounding, "Redemption."

Leaving them confused, he squeezed through the bars and stood on the outside, motioning for them to stay quiet and follow suit.

Van and Thomas manned their zoids and their new friend climbed into the cockpit of one of the stolen zoids, a standard rev raptor. The captures were shocked to find that after such hard work in ensuring that the prisoners wouldn't escaped to find that they had turned the tables, but unlike what the Guardian Force had been up against recently, they fought back to keep things in their favor. The mysterious stranger was quite the pilot. Van down toned his fighting to watch and see just how much skill he possessed. The movements, skill, and the way he dominated his opponents reminded him of Raven.

'It couldn't be…could it," he asked himself.

The battle ended and all of the zoid thieves were in custody. Thomas complemented the stranger on his piloting. Van thought it over and stated, "You could use talent like yours, how 'bout it? Join the Guardian Force, make friends, get new clothes…."

He laughed, "Thanks but I'm happy with working outside the law, it sounds great and if the circumstances were different I take it with thinkin' but they aren't so…thanks but no."

He turned and started to walk out into the desert. Van shouted to him, "Hey, 'bout your piloting again, who taught you?"

He slowed but kept walking. Van shouted again, this time taking a few steps to catch up, "You reminded me of a pilot I use to fight all the time. I thought maybe you knew him, his name's Raven?"

The stranger stopped, Van right behind him, Thomas closing quickly, the whistling of wind was the only thing keeping it from being total silence, "Maybe I do, maybe I don't, hardly matters."

He started to walk away again, but Van, sure in his mind that it was in fact Raven that saved them, grabbed hold of his hood, revealing his face in the momentum of the stranger's stride and Van's tug. White hair told tale that it wasn't Raven. The stranger pivoted in surprise, his faded blue eyes big with shock. His hair was jaw length, skateboarder cut, and he was undoubtedly a close blood relative to Günter Prozen.

He stared daggers of shame at Van, neither able to say anything at all. Thomas is twice as shocked and very angry, "Aries?"

"You couldn't just leave it alone could you," he asked Van.

"Aries Odo Prozen, son of Gunter Prozen, You are here by under arrest by power given to my by the Guardian Force for treason against the Empire and the threatening the Republic…."

Van couldn't move under Aries's stair as he was cuffed and placed with the Zoid thieves.

Fang looked into the crowd inside the small bar. She found her friends at the pool tables in the back. "Fang, 'sup? Christ it's been forever, we need to do this more often," a 20 year old boy lifted a glass and a cigar to greet her.

The other boy of 19 years of age, smirked and nodded in her direction, both were black haired and porcelain pale. "Hi Griffin, still as out going and loud as ever I see," she returned his greeting then faced her other friend, "Raven…."

* * *

Thank you for reading, everything will become clear later on, stick with me. If you would like to flame me on a literary basis, go for it so long as your critisizing my writing skill and not the story line thus far. Give it another two chapters before flaming the story itself. 


	2. Hand Outs

So no one is confused, I've enfused some of the manga with the episodes, now R&R! (If you know the BFSE, try and find some more of the weapons and PM me PLEASE!!! If you don't but are familur with the BF...PM me a weapons list PLEASE!!!!)

By the way I've desided to dedicate the rest of this story not to my return but to a good friend of mine who has recently rediscovered his wings after a really bad break up with his girlfriend...

She cheated on him with and brokeup with him for her older full-blood brother with two STDS!!!!!! O.O O.O O.O

Congrats to my friend.

* * *

Prozen's Knight 

Ch.2 Hand Outs

"Is that all I get? The least amount of acknowledgement possible," Raven taunted. He was dressed casually, a simple white sleeveless shirt, white arm warmers with thumb holes, dark blue straight pants, and black converse completed with a black cats collar with bell.

Fang slouched and threw her head back laughing, "Would you rather me drop all dignity and hug you in a screaming frenzy like a school girl? I don't think so."

"I can do without the screaming frenzy but I'll take that hug," Raven held out an arm clutching his billiard stick in the other. Fang hugged him and Griffin pulled out his cell phone, "Hold it."

The phone flashed and he laughed, "Aw, photo moment."

Raven laughed and Fang flipped him off. Griffin took another picture, "One for the collection. Now, Raven, back to brass tacks."

Griffin had short spiked black hair with pale blue and yellow-green highlights that accented his bone thin porcelain pale body. His olive gold eyes danced with life and humor. He wore his usual black tee shirt with a blue and green phoenix in flight on it, faded blue jeans with the knees worn away, yellow-green sneakers, yellow-green double rowed cone studded collar, and wide leather bracelets with metal beaded draw strings.

"Right," Raven to a sip of his own drink. "How much would cost me to get the parts I need?"

"More than you have if you're lookin' to get everything in one sitting that's for sure," Griffin answered. "Personally I wouldn't try to fix that piece-a-shit-zoid of yours. The Geno Breaker was a fucked up zoid before it fell off that building."

"Well that's your opinion-," Raven defended.

"Opinion my right butt-cheek! The reason Shadow couldn't fuse with the damn thing was because the energies were all outta whack. That charged particle gun might have been stronger than the Geno Saurer but it also took up more energy than it and soaked up energy just to be installed. The out-put was a lot higher than the in-put and the core wasn't compatible with any organoid so it wound up detouring the organoids energy and making its presents more of a burden than a blessing. You fix it and it'll burn out again, I'll put money on it."

"Fine than what do you suggest I replace it with," Raven shrugged.

Griffin took a drag off of his cigar and exhaled the smoke, "I'll check the underground, see what I can pull up for you maybe even get a nice price."

"Fantastic, back to the game," Raven suggested. Griffin took his shot, missing his pocket. Raven aimed for the 12 ball in the right side pocket but it hit the 8 ball and pocketed it first.

"Crap," Raven hissed. Griffin laughed, "You lose."

Giggling from the side lines, Fang took Raven's arm, "I need a place to crash for a few days do you mind my stayin' at your place."

"Go a head," He handed her a key. "Make yourself at home."

Outside the city several hours prior, Van, Irvine, and Thomas were reviewing what knowledge they had been given. "Ok, let me get this straight," Irvine started. "That gang of thieves you guys busted up yesterday got linked to a chain of zoid heists that got linked to an unknown contractor who is believed to be an underground weapons dealer that got linked to the Imperial mafia…."

"Right," Van and Thomas answered at the same time.

Irvine continued, "And that's why we're in Metal Eagle City…to look for an underground weapons dealer…in Metal Eagle City…."

"Yes," Van and Thomas hissed in unison.

"…This is going to take a while," Irvine stated.

"We know," Van and Thomas both sighed.

"Erg, we aren't getting anywhere," Van shouted in frustration. "We aren't any closer to the bad guys than we were when we got here 9 hours ago!"

"Look around Van! We're surrounded by bad guys! This place is the congregation of the x-cons, runners, and all the rest of the scum of Zi that can't find work in normal cities and towns. The problem is finding one particular sleaze-ball," Thomas ranted.

Irvine stated, rubbing his temples, "I need a drink."

"Hey hun," one of the more seasoned corner prostitutes approached Irvine. "You look like you could use some help straightening out stress."

"Oh, you have no idea-," Van interrupted his reply. "He's not buying anything!"

"Would you so kind as to point us to the nearest bar that might be quiet," He asked her.

She smiled, "Sure doll, you want to go to the Bat's Ring on Luster Street. It's supposed to be a place for the local teens but there's hardly anyone that goes. This time of night all their usuals are in the titty bars."

"Bat's Ring on Luster Street, thank you."

The Bat's Ring was close to empty but had a few customers. The interior was mostly dark rough wood and garage lights with concrete flooring. Irvine went straight to the bar and demanded their strongest liquor. He should have expected it to be ginger ale, he sighed in disappointment.

Thomas spotted a jukebox and left to investigate the selection. Van smiled and shook his head. He looked around for somewhere to sit and think, maybe take a nap. Laughter from the billiard tables in the back floated up to him and snagged his attention.

'Raven's here,' here asked himself not quite believing what his eyes were telling him. Raven was shooting pool with two others, a guy and a girl. Forgetting he was tired, he decided to drop in on them.

"Well fancy that," Van greeted looking dead at Raven. The laughter from the other two diminished to a question and Raven's died away completely.

"Fancy, but one must wonder how fate played her hand in the occurrence of such a coincidence," Raven replied in a more complicated and friendly sounding diction that translated into 'what are you doing here.'

Griffin coughed to interrupt, "Who's your friend Raven?" Griffin wore a smile that set an aura of danger to pulsate from him. Fang bit her tongue and looked up at Raven from her seat behind him.

"Van this is Griffin and Fang, guys this is my old buddy from the Guardian Force." Fang raised and brow and looked at Van in casual aw.

"Huh…that wouldn't be Van 'Flyhieght' would it," Griffin asked placing his cigar in his teeth before aiming his stick at another ball on the table.

"Yeah-," Van started to answer Griffin but was interrupted by scream music. Griffin answered his phone, "I gotta take this."

He left the group speaking casually to the person on the other end. Raven turned to Fang, "Do you mind?"

She raised her hands in surrender and left too. When she was out of ear shot, Raven asked, "What's a guy like you doin' in a town like this?"

"You'll laugh if I tell you," Van replied. "Where's Shadow?"

"You'll laugh if I told you, why are you in town," Raven spat back at him, becoming irked.

"No I won't, what happened to Reese," Van asked enjoying his role as pest.

"If I tell you will you answer my question," Raven restrained himself from smacking Van.

"Maybe," Van smiled.

"Shadow's with the Breaker, Reese went her own way with her latest boyfriend about two month's ago." Raven looked at him expectantly.

Van rolled his eyes and couldn't bring himself to look at Raven while explaining, "I…We are looking for an underground weapons dealer with connections to the Imperial Mafia."

Raven laughed threw his nose, restraining himself, and bit back a smile that was coming any way. "In Metal Eagle City," His voice was cracked from the strain of not laughing.

Van gave a sighed growl, "Yeah."

Raven's face was steadily turning red and his eyes watered, "Good luck with that."

"We'd be glad to accept any help you-."

"I kid you not, I'm lookin' at him right now," Griffin came back, still on his phone and wrapped an arm around Van. "I'm hugging the son-of-a-bitch, Say hi Van!"

Griffin lifted the phone to Van's face. The man on the other end sounded like he was crying, terrified. "I'm sorry boss! I can fix it-!"

"Um, Hi," Griffin took the phone back. Raven shifted his weight uncomfortably.

"How you like them apples, huh?" He smiled up at Van from his slouched position, "He's big fan, so jealous right now."

He switched his attention back to the person on the phone, his pleas audible to both Van and Raven, before Van could respond, "Yeah but what can you do…Then do it!"

Griffin hung up the phone, let go of Van, and took a drag off his cigar looking down at the table.

"What was that about," Raven asked. Griffin gave him a very serious look then his phone rang again, "What?"

Griffin was quite and stared down at the table while listening. "Ok, I'll take care of it."

He hung up again. He took a final drag off the cigar before dropping and squishing it against the floor with his shoe. He leaned against the table with his fists to support him. Raven asked raising a brow hidden by his bangs, "You ok…dude?"

One of Griffin's elbows collapsed as he laughed, "Don't say it if you can't do it right."

"Good enough answer for anyone," Raven smiled.

Griffin straightened and placed his hands on his hips proudly, "I gonna head on home. I might be dropping by your place later on for business."

He winked and turned to Van, flashing a big grin, "I be seein' you around."

"That was awkward," Van stated to Raven. Griffin suddenly slung himself on Van's shoulders again directing his question to raven and pointing up at Van limply, "Was he just about to ask you to do something before I budded in?"

"Yeah I was actually," Van stated.

"Was I talkin' to you? No, so shush," Griffin snapped never looking away from Raven.

Raven bore a look of interest, "Yes he was."

"Oh! Well what you gonna ask Van, perhaps I can lend some assistance too."

Van didn't know if he should speak or not. Griffin was so confusing, did he want to be friends or bit his head off?

Becoming impatient, Griffin asked Raven, "Do you know he was about to ask you?"

"Yes I do," Raven answered.

"And what was it," Griffin asked, showing an alarmingly disturbing amount of intimidating happiness.

Raven looked dead at Van and caught eye contact, "He was about to ask me if I would help him find an underground weapons dealer here in the city that has connections to the Imperial Mafia and if I would be interested in joining the Guardian Force."

"Are you going to," Griffin asked in a semi sarcastic tone.

"Nope," Raven didn't hesitate or blink. Fang popped out from behind Griffin. Glancing at everyone before she asked, "You almost ready to go home Raven?"

He didn't break contact with Van until Van looked away. Then Raven focused on Fang, "Yeah Griffin's on his way out so we might as well too unless you want to play a few rounds?"

"Nah," she yawned. "I'm tired. Let's just go."

Van sat in a booth with Thomas and Irvine after Raven and his friends left. He should have known Raven knew what he was going to ask of him, after all it wasn't the first time he's asked and been turned down.

"This Griffin guy you told us about," Irvine started. "He sounds like he might know something."

"Raven does too," Thomas added.

"It doesn't matter," Van sighed. "They wouldn't help anyway."

"Just like old times huh," Irvine suggested.

"Yeah," Thomas replied. "Raven knows everything and we're clueless."

Van nodded, staring into space.

Inside Raven's apartment in Metal Eagle City, the stereo was turned to full and Fang turned it down to answer the door. "Yeah, Yeah I'm comein' just hold your horses," she yelled on her way to the door.

She opened the door in her cute blue pajamas with little green frogs all over them, "What, Oh! Hi, Griffin! Come on in."

"Thanks, where's Raven," Griffin waltzed in as if it were his home too.

"He's in the shower-."

"I'm here," Raven shouted from the narrow hallway wearing a pair of black pajama pants, rubbing his head with a towel.

"Never mind, he's right there," She shrugged.

"Great," He took Fang's hand and gave her a folded piece of paper. He whispered in her ear, "I need to talk to you too, privately. Go to a quiet spot, read this and we'll discuss it later 'k?"

"Sure," she replied, a mischievously evil smirk playing on her features.

"Whaddja got for me," Raven asked.

Griffin waited for Fang to leave to leave the room, before answering. "I found you a zoid."

"Lovely. What is it?"

"Sit, gonna want to…It's called the 'BFSE'. That stands for 'Berserk Fury Shadow Edge'. It has all the strength of the Geno Breaker but three fold and none of the weaknesses."

"Awesomeness, but what's the price tag say," Raven inquired sitting and gesturing that Griffin was welcome to as well.

"Nothing, I'll buy it for you and I don't want a cent of it back in return," Griffin reclined on the couch opposite Raven playing with his fingernails.

Raven smirked, "'K, so what do you want for it?"

Griffin gave him an evil grin, "Oh nothing really, just…join the Guardian Force."

"What," Raven couldn't believe his ears. 'Did I hear that right,' he asked himself.

"You heard me. I meant what I said and said what I meant so don't get confused. I need someone to keep tabs on the GF from the inside and they want you. You do this for me and you get a better than kick-ass zoid _for free_."

Raven sank back into the couch in disbelief. He had planned to stay as far away from the military as he could after being pardoned by both the Emperor and the President for his part in Eveolpois. Now he had to get back in the military to get a better than excellent zoid. 'What am I going to use it for anyway if I don't get with the military or stir up trouble again?'

Raven sighed, "Is it safe for Shadow to fuse with?"

Griffin smirked warmly, "Shadow will be as snug as a bug in a rug and just as comfy."

Raven thought about it, and then said, "You have a deal. I'll spy on the GF for you in exchange for a BFSE."

"It's 'the BFSE'. One of a kind, and you'll need to take Fang with you."

"Why," Raven worried.

"So you aren't completely surrounded by retards, duh," Griffin gestures to suit his statement.

Raven laughed and nodded, "Ok she goes with me."

"Good, now you stay up here and fantasize about piloting this," Griffin got up and passed Raven a sheet of printer paper with a full color picture of a heavily armored black tyrannosaurus type zoid with no obvious weaponry aside from barrels on each of the sides. "Are those charged particle weapons?"

"Yep, there are three of them and eight laser blades,"

"Christ," Raven stared at the picture while Griffin made his way down the hall Fang had disappeared in.

Fang sat in the guest bedroom waiting for Griffin. She waited for him to close the door before asking, "So, who do you want dead so badly as to hire me for the job?"

"I've talked Raven into joining the GF, you be going with him. I want to know just how much they know about my operation before you come into play got it?"

"Take my time, got it, who's the target?"

"Flyhieght," Griffin turned to face her, fury storming in his playful eyes. "…and Aries Prozen."

* * *

And it gets better...(evil grin) 


	3. Judgement

Happy thanksgiving! If it's a bit slower here than else where, I appologize.

* * *

Prozen's Knight

Chapter. 3 Judgment

The courtroom of the Guylos Supreme Court building buzzed with the chartering of people filing into the room where the trial they'd been waiting for, even if some of them never even knew Aries existed, would be held. The main judge sat at the desk in his chambers going through the information for the trial ahead. His phone rang, "Hello."

The judge sounded irritated and let that irritation flow into his features. "Have I called at a bad time," the man on the end laughed.

"Oh," the judge suddenly cringed then continued in a tone of ease. "Griffin, no of course not. Even if it were, I wouldn't be too busy to speak with you-."

Griffin laughed loudly, "Stop your brown-nosing…I take it you've looked at your bank account at some point after our last chat."

"Yes, sir, and I must say that was quite the…generous donation," The judge recalled the theatrically dramatic increase of wealth at his disposal.

"Then our arrangement is solid," He asked.

"Uh," the judge hesitated. "You'll need to get the votes of the others-."

"It's been taken care of," Griffin's patience was being tested.

"Oh, then in that case, our arrangement is rock solid," the judge faked complete confidence.

"Good 'cause I'd hate to see somethin' happen to your fox of a wife. Word is your kid is a little genius-."

"Are you threatening my family, sir," the judge stood in an outrage.

"Of course not! I don't make threats," Griffin stated gently. "I'm promising you that if this thing doesn't go through you will most certainly regret being the Main Judge at the trial of Aries Prozen!"

Griffin had hung up on the judge, leaving him to fully weigh his crisis.

In the youth of morning at one of the few storage facilities in Metal Eagle City that supplied a secure place to house zoids, Van and Irvine were preparing to leave while Thomas dealt with one of the employs on the issue of payment.

"Hey, Irvine," Van asked finishing with what he was doing, Zeke behind him. "You think we should wait? I mean Raven could change his mind…."

Zeke made a confused sound, tilting his head to look at Van.

"Yeah and he turned me down again too," He replied.

Irvine jumped down from the Lightning Saix's cockpit and answered, "Nah. I'm sure with a guy like that once his mind is made it stays that way 'sides we gotta get movin' if we're gonna catch that trial."

Van sighed, "You have point, the Guylos Supreme Court building is a ways off-."

"Then we best not doddle," Thomas announced on his entrance. Surprise crept smoothly into the air as it donned on them who it was that had trailed in behind him. Shadow's presence was key in the discovery that the darkly dressed boy beside him was Raven. He wore his hair in a slicked Goth style, pushing his bangs to the right and barely allowing the red clans mark to show through even against the intensified paleness of his skin due to the amount of black he wore. His outfit consisted of a black corduroy jacket with tan fur trimming over a black net top with thumb-holes, thick black nylon zipper pants with chain and lace suspenders, black converse, and a black cats collar with bell. A new detail to his appearance was a dark metal nose stud with a tiny dripped cross decoration in his left nostril. "Normally I would agree but if I'm going to be traveling with you I think I might need to know where we're going."

Van blinked in shock, not really understanding what was just said. Irvine inquired almost harshly, "How did you find us?"

Raven did a monkey scratch and smiled holding his hip with the free hand, striking a Mae Wes pose, "Oh Fang and I just happened to be in the neighborhood since we both keep our zoids here and she just so happened to knock out the guy at the computer which just so happened to have the booking log on screen. I happened to look and, what a cowinky-dink, I find your hanger listed."

Everyone sweat-dropped at Raven's use of the term "cowinky-dink" and posture, even Shadow. Thomas chimed with his own brand of sarcasm, "My there are a lot of 'coincidences' that go on in this city…."

Raven shrugged innocently with a smirk, "That's my story and I'm sticking to it."

"Waaaaait, wait, wait, wait, wait, hold it, time out and all that jazz," Van barked gesturing to suit his speech. "You mean you actually changed your mind? You're joining the GF?"

"On conditions of course but sure if you want to look at it that way," Raven answered casually.

"All right then, how would you put it," Van asked in a frustrated tone.

Raven gestured into a thoughtful pose and answered coolly, "I've willingly given up my freedom to aid in the protection of both the republic and the empire through a temporary service in the Guardian Force along side Shadow and Fang."

"Sorry I asked," Van announced and finished in time to not be interrupted by Irvine and Thomas's synchronized question. "Who's Fang?"

"Raven," a loud angry sounding call echoed in the hanger and outside. Raven waved to the voice calling him, "Over here!"

Fang came into view in an interesting outfit of pink and black consisting of a pink rayon lace spaghetti strap u-neck shirt with sequins silver embroidery and a deep flower petal hem, black and pink plaid pleated mini skirt, black four inch heeled ankle boots, pink and black horizontally striped nylon stockings and arm warmers with thumb holes, pink satin purse fringed in thousands of tiny pink beads with chain handle and snap closure, pink crystal and pewter cross pendant and chain, a black ribbon for her pony tail, and her jingle bell. She dropped the medium sized luggage bag she had been carrying and announced to him, "It wouldn't fit."

"What could you possibly have that would take up all the storage space in the command wolf to the point this wouldn't fit," Raven asked clearly as the others stared at fang not knowing weather to laugh at her style of dress or find it likable.

Fang counted off on her fingers, "Clothes, shoes, toiletries-."

Raven cut her short, "I understood at shoes…almost forgot you were a girl for a minute."

Fang giggled and smiled brightly, "So were should I meet you?"

"I don't even know where they're headed yet-,"Raven answered and Van interrupted, "We're going to Guygolos for the trail an-."

Van was next to Raven now and Fang asked, "Which trial?"

"Aries," Van looked at her then back to Raven to continue his rant but Raven spoke. "Ok, I'm having a slow morning your going to have to explain this a little-."

Van open his mouth to speak but Fang beat him to it, "Aries Prozen was arrested a few days ago. He's going on trial in the Supreme Court building at Guygolos today."

Van gestured to get back in the conversation but made a sour face when he was dodged again by Raven's reply, "Christ, I haven't seen him in years. Poor guy…."

"Can I speak now," Van asked irritated but happy that he got a word in.

"Sure," Fang looked confused. Van inhaled to speak but wasn't quick enough.

"What was stopping you? Certainly not us," Raven added.

Van pointed to shout then hung his head when Fang spoke, "You better take this and get settled before we're late."

Van crossed his arms in defeat as Raven took the bag from Fang, "Valid point and taken…well get a move on instead of standing there like the idiot you are, I'm riding with you after all."

Raven shoved Van along and Fang left. Thomas was already in the dibison and Irvine was tapping his foot impatiently. "Wait a sec-," Van was interrupted again.

"She can't come," Irvine stated clearly. "Thank you," Van sighed with relief.

"Who," Raven asked raising a brow.

"Fang," Van answered.

"She's a distraction and we have all the computer technicians, nurses, and distractions we need at base," Irvine added.

Raven was offended, "Fang is not a computer nerd, nurse, secretary, or any other stereotypical female profession. She's a-!"

"We don't care," Irvine stated. "Your girlfriend can't come!"

"But she's an excellent pilot-girlfriend?" Raven's expression and tone changed instantly from shouted outrage to disgust. "OH MY GOD, no, she is not my…sick! She's my little sister, kinda not really but still! That is just so many levels of wrong!"

"Fine whatever, your sister can't-."

"Visual! Ah, I'm scared for life now!"

Van stood off to the side, laughing it up.

On the move now, the Lightning Saix and Dibison lead the group, as they wanted to get as far away from Fang's powder pink command wolf as geographically possible before someone saw them. The Blade Liger tied up the end. Shadow curled up on one end, Zeke on the other, both glared growled at one another. Raven reclined in the back seat of the liger and attempted to sooth a headache, his eye still twitching from the earlier trauma. Van laughed to himself.

"And what's your malfunction," Raven asked irritably.

Van sighed, "Fang sure is a funny one."

"Hum," Raven grunted for more information.

"You know, she all pink and bubbly with the ribbons and glitter, yet you said she's an excellent pilot, which means she's a fighter. I just can't see it. Someone that cutesy, I don't see any danger in her at all," he smiled glancing at the command wolf.

Raven grimaced and cringed at a distant memory of Fang and how they met. He'd thought the same thing and bled for it. "Don't let her fool you."

"What's that supposed to mean," Van worried by Raven's tone.

"You just show give her the respect she's due, no more and no less, and you won't have to find out the hard way of what I meant. The hard way is the only way to fully understand what I mean when I tell you there's more malice in that child than Hiltz and Prozen combined."

The was buzzing again but with hissing and gossip more so than the anticipated chattering of the earlier as they slipped into room. They lined the back wall and Van leaned to ask one the seated people, "How far have they gotten?"

"The judges will be coming back any minute now to announce the verdict."

"At least we're not late enough to miss that much," Thomas stated.

"Look at that guy," Irvine spat nodding up at the white haired young man in an orange jumpsuit standing in a gated box. His posture was regal and almost noble. "He's probably about to die and doesn't seem to care."

Raven smiled in agreement, "That's Aries for you. All pride and no fear. He's true war bred, coming from me saying something. Born and raised in the field…."

"…Cute too," Fang added. "Keep your eyes in your head," Raven ordered and poked her in the side.

"It was just an observation," Fang said through gritted teeth and poked him back.

"Tickle fight," Raven grabbed her thigh. She yipped and slammed her fist on he skull taking a hand full of his side squeezing rapidly. He backed up into Irvine, trying to retaliate. "Alright, separate!"

Irvine placed himself between them and noticed Aries glance back at them. Fang poked Irvine's stomach and looked innocent when he investigated. The room quieted significantly as the judges reentered the room. As the others seated, the main judge remained standing and announced, "The counsel has reached an unanimous vote. The defendant, Aries Odo Prozen, has been found guilty of all charges."

The room lived again with cheering and praise. Irvine smiled warmly and locked eyes with Thomas who was just as thrilled. Van did nothing, from he knew of Aries and how Thomas and the crowd reacted to his presence, there was no way for him to fully know which side to on. It took all the self-control Raven had just to stay quiet as the Main judge read over the list of wrongs Aries had been accused and found guilty of doing. It had been quite some years since he trained with Aries under Prozen but he knew him well enough to see through the illusions. His anger becoming more and more obvious with passing seconds, his face burned and body shook ever so slightly. Fang closed her eyes and listened with a smile as Griffin's plan was set in motion. Aries took a deep breath and awaited his sentencing. Prepared for the worst, he wouldn't flinch or fight.

The main judge caught his breath again and announced his sentence, "For these crimes, you are hear by sentenced to death." He paused for the crowd and continued, "However, with your surplus of skill at the controls of any zoid, will instead be given a life sentence under the Guardian Force program with no hope of parole."

The crowd was displeased and showed it. All along the back wall, save Fang, were surprised weather it be for the positive or the negative. Aries him self, fell to his knees in shock. Of all the out comes he had mastered himself for, this was the one thing he hadn't accounted for. They were handing him his wish, a chance at redemption, on a golden platter with silver lining. Joyous rapture over threw his reserve and he wept.

Griffin took smooth strides into an isolation room of the Guylos maximum-security prison. "Dad," He hugged the large man who had been waiting for him.

"Griffin, son, I'm glad to see ya but how did ya get in here?"

"Money might not buy happiness but it can get you into place you shouldn't be and silence in those who know about it," He answered slyly.

He purred in response, "Good to see ya haven't lost the knowledge that I left ya…but I've been hearin' things. There are these nasty rumors goin' 'round that the GF is on your tail."

"It's fine. I have it under control. I hired an assassin, a reliable one, one we've used before-," he began defensively.

"Who?"

"Fang."

"Lovely girl. She's clean and neat…undetectable until she strikes…just like a hidden spider."

"I intend on watching them for a while before activating her services."

"That's a sign that you're sure your little enterprise can't be linked legally to the family business. Are you sure?"

"I have a man in place to find out just how much they know and learn-."

"This man, is he just as reliable as Fang?"

"It's Raven, someone we've also used before and is on of my favorite customers."

"I remember him but I also remember that we used him as an assassin too but he wasn't as stealthy as I had hoped and far too messy. What makes you think he'll be any better as a mole?"

"It's someone the Guardian Force wouldn't suspect and even if they would normally they'll be too busy watching Aries than anyone. My plan is complex but believe me I've taken care every detail, it's fool-proof."

* * *

chapter four will take a while but I'll try. 


	4. Square

Here's a chapter updated quickly...for the sake old times.

* * *

Prozen's Knight

Chapter 4. Square

Fang stood by herself listening to Irvine and Thomas argue with their superiors and speak hatefully of Aries while Raven shouted at them in Aries's defense. She watched Van, who leaned against his liger by himself. So far it was her understanding that Van and Aries had been given a mission together but neither Thomas nor Irvine would allow themselves to let him be alone with their new surprise member. Bored she went over to Van.

"Penny for your thoughts," she asked removing the strawberry blow-pop from her mouth.

Van glanced at her sadly and sighed, "I don't know, I guess I'm trying to figure out weather or not I should be for or against Aries being with us or…-."

"Just him in general," she suggested. He nodded. She placed the lollypop back in her mouth and gave it a few turns while she thought of something to say that would indicate she cared but really didn't. She back handed Van's chest to get his attention and jerked her head to leave. Taking the lollypop out to speak again she walked and spoke, "Come on. Lets just go pick him up from the holding center and get on with the mission. You can form your own opinion once you know him."

"Good plan-hey wait a minute," Van's physical mood had shifted from mild depression to contentment and then to suspicion. "Won't Raven get just a little upset at you're going off without him?"

She turned back to him and stated matter-of-factly never raising her voice, pointing her lollypop at him, "Well then he's just going to have the pluck that particular hair out of his ass if he does. I'm a big girl and can do whatever I damn well please."

Her hand on her hip and the lollypop aloft she strutted forward also stating, "Feel sorry for the idiot that gets in my way."

Van smiled warmly at her and followed, looking back at the others. He snickered at the mental picture that painted itself in his mind when he looked at Raven. He envisioned Raven bent over trying to pluck a long black hair from his buttock with a pair tweezers.

Van watched the door at the end of the double-gated pathway that was fenced off securely and topped with razor wire while attempting to ignore Fang's singing as she played hopscotch behind him. She hopped in time to the beat of the pink panther chorus tune stopping occasionally to pop the gum from the lollypop.

He snapped at her, "Will you be-!"

The heavy steel door opened and Aries greeted them with a Cheshire grin, his face lit with anticipation and happiness. His dress was simple consisting of a very basic off-white tee shirt, desert camouflage cargo pants and black combat boots. He had little jewelry, only being two silver hoops in his left ear cartilage, a twine collar, and an antique Ivory rosary coiled around his ram tattooed wrist. He ran to them letting the door shut on its own, the controlled soldier seen at the trial forgotten. He saw a flash of red light and stopped. He first glanced at the watchtowers then at himself. He found a few red dots on either side of his chest. He nodded to the men in the watchtowers and continued forward at a walk taking care to avoid more sudden movements.

"Brief me," Aries said upon exiting the second gate.

"Excuse you," Van spat back slightly offended.

"I'm sorry," Aires cringed. "Did that sound like an order? It did, didn't it? I didn't mean-God, I need to learn to think before I open my mouth! Um…what're we doin' if I have the clearance to know?"

Van was stumped. He had never encountered someone so edgy and nervous yet calm at the same time previous to now as he stood before Aries. He didn't know how to respond. Fang jumped in the conversation with a bored expression and tone, "We're going to the outskirts of sand town on Empyreal territory. Mission objective is to bust up a safe house where there is supposedly illegal and stolen weaponry being stored. The rest of the story's none of your business."

Van inhaled to protest her rudeness but was cut off by Aries who had grabbed her hand and asked, "I don't believe we've been formally introduced, I'm Aries and you?"

Fang blew a bubble in response. Van answered for her dumbfounded by the flirtatious smile Aries wore as he held her hand, "This is Fang and I'm sure you know-."

"It suits her I think. Tell me darling, would you be overly offended if I were to ask to see the bruise on your butt from when you landed after falling from grace," once the question was posed Fang began to laugh herself to tears but calmed a little when she almost dropped her gum.

Still laughing she answered, "I'll give you points for a creative spin and humor but the line is still cheesy."

"Gotta start somewhere," He shifted his attention back to Van still smiling, "Yes, I know who you are. You'd be the man who killed my father and I thank you for that."

He did it again, Aries had once again stumped Van on a response. How does one respond to the gratitude of a son for murdering his father? "…Your welcome?"

Aries laughed at him. Fang shook her head and walked off down the road leading the others. "So what zoid have I been assigned?"

"You don't have one," Van asked. Aries shook his head. Fang suggested, "It would be better for you to participate in the mission with out a zoid for now so you can earn it later."

"Angel dear, you can't be serious," Aries groaned.

"It was a serious suggestion and you know my name now use it." Aries bounced back in a theatrical tone placing both hands over his heart, "Alas, your name is but a bell hung in my heart. It would break me to pieces if I were to call you once by your name."

Van laughed and Fang sighed. She would enjoy it once her contract had been activated.

The moon rose high in the night sky when the mission was done and etched into memory for all time. Moonbay and Fiona almost had a chick fight trying to scramble into the hospital lobby with a trio of old ladies. Irvine pulled Moonbay away from the feisty woman in a walker while Thomas held the other two women. Fiona threw herself onto the counter and practically shouted, "Which room is housing the GF member…and which one was it that got shot?!"

The nurse behind the counter was taken aback and stammered. Van rounded the corner, "Fiona!"

She broke into hysterics and hugged him tightly, "Oh thank God, Van! I thought you had been killed…."

He attempted to pry her off of him enough so it was easier to breathe under her grip, "Nah I'm fine but if you don't let up I will be."

"Oh," She let go of him completely. "Sorry but-then who-?"

"YOU BASTARD," Raven ran over everyone in his path from the door to Van and buried his fist in Van's jaw. He continued to pummel him until both Herman and Schubaltz pulled them apart. "If she got hurt-!"

"Shut up Raven," Fang trudged out into the open her arms clinging to her shoulders and head hung. Raven loosened in their grip and went to Fang gently cradling her, "You're alright?"

"Get away from me," She barked and jerked away from him. "…I'm fine."

Dr. D stated what the others had been thinking since both Van and Fang were discovered to be in good health, "Then the injured one was young Mr. Prozen…."

Irvine joined them, holding Moonbay by the arm. "Good I hope the bitch is dead or dieing."

Fang spat coldly rubbing her arm and walking away, "So do I."

"What's got into you," Raven asked, genuinely concerned. Van got up off the floor and wiped the blood from a busted lip away. "Sorry about that-."

"Don't be. I'd have done the same thing if you ran off with my sister and got her hurt," he stated grudgingly trying to be understanding.

Schubaltz asked the second question everyone was silently begging for, "Van, What happened?"

Van took a deep breath, "It was an ambush. The safe house was rigged to explode when someone got to a certain point. Whatever was inside if anything is unusable now but the troops were in a camp near by. We ran for it but they were armed and a little quicker. If it makes any sense to you Raven, the only reason we're at the hospital is because he took the bullet that was suppose to paint the trees with her brain. She's been like that since…."

Raven ran a hand through is hair, "…he took a bullet for her, yeah I can see how she's pissed."

"How bad's the wound," Thomas butted in. Van shrugged, "I didn't even know he was wounded until he passed out by the zoids and I can't get any information."

"And here I thought I was a throw away soldier," Aries bellowed happily into the room, his arm in a sling. "I had no idea so many people cared."

Irvine shook his head and everyone else accepted the fact that he was walking after hearing the story that Van had to tell, "Well you're no hero but it's a hell of a start."

Aries beamed brightly with a slight blush, "It was just a through-n-through."

"Yeah so lets just go get a medal polished for the big strong man that saved and woman," Fang sneered from her seat in the waiting area. "'Cause we that have vagina's instead of dick heads can't hack it!"

Raven rolled his eyes while everyone else seemed puzzled, "Here we go again."

She stalked straight up to Aries and stayed in his face, "Let me draw the line for you 'cause obviously some of us can't find. Yeah I got tits but since when did that mean I wasn't allowed to take my own lumps? No, better question, since when did they give the right to take them for me?"

Aries had taken it calmly, "You done?"

Fang looked him up and down, "Answer me and I will be."

He took a deep breath, "Good." He reared back and slugged her in the nose as hard as he could. "We're square."

Everyone that had forgiven him for being who he was just got twice as angry. Van looked to have made up his mind about Aries in that single moment for the worst. The males in the area and even a few that had nothing to with it but had seen moved to bleed Aries except for Raven. He shielded Aries especially from Fang who had blood streaming from both nostrils. "Move Raven."

"You touch him and I'll finish what he started," he stated clearly.

"But he hit me," She growled. Raven shrugged, "And your point is?"

All fell silent, and Raven continued at her expression of betrayal, "You said it yourself a minute ago. Why shouldn't a girl get what's coming to her like any boy would? The way I look at it, he slugged a teammate whose life he saved and was cussing him out for it. I don't know what you guys see but if defending a hypocrite that wants to be an independent woman but also wants a man to defend her is considered a gentleman then thank God almightily that I'm not one."


	5. Ruse

Now is the time for the most spellbinding addition to Prozen's Knight thus far.

Enjoy.

* * *

Prozen's Knight

Ch. 5 Ruse

The desert sun of early afternoon had relentlessly boxed at the Guardian Force members this day. Van growled in a burst of anger to the fleeing thieves, "Oh no you don't!"

Just as the boosters deployed to start the brutal chase, the liger's com link clicked on and Herman shouted in a panic, "Come in GF officers! Something's happened!"

The night before, Griffin reclined in the cushion of a fancy night club in Metal Eagle city and chatted politly with the crowd of company around him. He bellowed with tearful laughter at a witty addition to the sting of jokes. "So true but seriously-!"

The sinicter guitar solo that was his ring tone announced that his attention was needed elsewhere. "I gotta take this."

Still smiling and waving at barely remembered aquantances he stepped off into the side ally. It was a text from Raven.

They're building up a profile

on the UWD and it's pointing

to u more everyday.

Get a move on or get busted.

Raven

"Nice," He closed the phone and thought for a bit. Flipping it open again he dialed a number. "…Hey! I just got a text from our guy inside…Who else dip-shit! Anyways we're pushing up the schedule. Get a team sat up for point A and a merc for B. It goes down tomorrow morning or it's your ass."

Not bothering to wait for a reply he hung up. His head craned and relaxed against the brick masonry. To the forgotten stars above the city of neon, he laughed, "…It appears I owe someone a one of a kind zoid…."

Dawn came and went, Van stirred in his bed to drown out the heavy pounding at his door. "Go away! Do you have any IDEA of the time?"

"Hello-It's Saterday! EVERYBODY wants to sleep in, but you can't 'cause you're 'Mr. Hero' and somethin's going down at the boarder," Raven shouted from outside, more than a little agitated.

"You go take care of it," he whined childishly. There was silence.

"…I'm wearing all Pink." The blanket flew in Van's frenzy to get to the door. Raven had, of course, lied to get him up but Van still wasn't fully disappointed. The maverick had in fact decked out in computer white. Beanie, tank, trippies, dog collar, and arm warmers intensified the darkness of all that was color while blinding viewers with the whiteness.

Van smiled, "There are times I wish I had a camera…."

Raven smirked back at him, "Get some pants or pilot in your shorts."

"You'd like that too much," He smiled and retreated to his cave for clothes.

"You're not my type," Raven shot in quick reply.

"Oh but Thomas is," He asked in the futile attempt to embarrass him. He pulled the shirt of his uniform over his head.

"Always did have a thing for nerds in speedos," he stated with smooth sarcasm.

Van laughed with a blush, "Get out of my room."

Raven whinned through a playful smirk, having won, "But I want you so bad I can't hide it anymore."

Van wheezed from laughing too hard, "Git, go, do your homo thing in someone else's room."

Turning to leave in hallway, "I'll be in Fiona's room then."

"To shave your legs again," Van shouted in a final attempt.

"Actually she invited me to help shave her own-." Van wheeled on the door frame, "Fuck you!"

"Is that an offer," Raven walked backwards to see the damage done. "See ya in the computer room."

Van squeezed through the double automatic doors to the computer room that seemed to be opening too slowly for him. Schubaltz had Thomas, Irvine, Raven, and Aries in front of him on one side of the balcony and Herman battled to calm an infuriated Fang on the other. Choosing the safer looking group he walked over to Schubaltz.

"About time," Schubaltz barked. "There's a robbery in progress at the boarder of a weapons cache. It's speculated that our dealer is behind it but no proof has presented its self. Since it's neutral territory neither the empire nor republic have the ability to act so the situation fell into our juristiction. You're not going so why are you here," He pointed to Aries.

Aries shrugged, "It was here or there and I'm not standing in the line of fire again 'til the first wound heals."

Schubaltz shot an irresistible glance to the squabble opposite them, "Wise decision-."

Fang seemed to get redder in the face with passing seconds, the tips of her ears were already close to glowing. Her outfit struck him as appropriate for her mood being a brown suede-cloth corset top cross-laced at the back and sides, dark blue squeeze flare pants, colorless rhinestone slave anklet and toe ring set, gold cross pendant ear cuffs, brown soft leather nomad style choker and bracelets. Van inquired, "What's her problem now?"

Thomas answered, "PMS."

Raven shook his head and smiled, "She wants to go and they won't let her."

"Why not," Van raised a brow and Aries lifted his arm.

"After the thing at the hospital, we were issued 'sensitivity' training. Which is total bull," Aries announced.

"Ouch…you thought you were gonna get away with it scott-free," Irvine asked.

"Would have been nice if it had been a 'forgive-forget" sitchiation."

"You," Schubaltz pushed Aries out of the group by the face. "Go to counseling. You four go to the hanger and deploy. The coordinates have already been downloaded to each of you."

"Sir," Van and Thomas saluted and Raven and Irvine gave a hushed, "Whatever."

At the site, Van approached one of the employees who were trying to control the problem the best they could from outside. "What's the situation on the inside?"

"Who're you," he snapped. Van flashed his pendant and the man continued, "Heh, 'bout time you showed up! There's seven or eight of'um in there, all armed and sittin' on enough ammunition to strike up another hot damn war! They're sayin' that if anybody approaches the buildin' they'll blow it sky high, bunch-a damn cowboys."

Automatic fire rippled overhead from the roof. "Jesus," the man placed his hands on his head and ducked along side Van. On the roof, a woman with a megaphone shouted, "GF go home!"

Taking a deep breath, Van nodded jerkily and growled, "Oh yeah, this is gonna be easy."

Van relayed via hand held communication devise what the employee told him to the others. "…So, any ideas?"

There was a pause and then Raven stated somberly, "Their willing to blow the loot, so they not must care if they get away with it, meaning their suicidal so forget infiltration…Smoke 'um out?"

"Nope," Irvine disagreed. "If their suicidal then there's no point in evacuating, right?"

Van sighed, "Pickle, pickle." His stomach growled loudly, "…Damn it."

Back on base, Fang busied herself with routine care of her command wolf to take out her anger. The zoid seemed to be the only thing that didn't annoy her at the moment. Having been working a stubborn lug-nut loose for a reason she didn't even remember, she tossed the jack and paced, holding her head. The session with the counselor went in every possible negetive direction and almost sent her spiraling into an emotional breakdown.

An idea hit her and she scrambled to the cockpit and snatched the cellphone from the hidden compartment behind the cushion of the pilot's chair. It started ringing and she whispered to herself while rocking, "Pickup you bastard. Come on…."

"State cha'business," the other end sighed.

Fang growled in a low tone, "Please, activate that contract! I can't take much more of this."

"Fang," Griffion asked recognizing who it was and the condition she was in. "…Suck it up! It's not the appropriate time to strike, you know that, you're the assassin-!"

"But you don't know these people-!"

"Fang," Griffon seemed to have lost patience.

"What?"

"Don't call me again." Griffon hung up. Fang, stunned and hurt, tossed the phone and shattered it. She jumped from the cockpit and punched the nearest wall. She collapsed down on herself and fought back tears, pressing her forehead against the abused wall.

"Looks like you were needing this more than I thought," a guy laughed behind her and all she saw when she turned her head was a cone of soft serve vanilla and chocolate swirled ice cream.

Van and the others had come to a final idea that involved a distraction, a net, and an infiltration. "Ok," Van started, having been reunited with the group. "The Lightning Saix will serve as the distraction while the liger and the zabor fang manuver to the back. When everything is nice and chaotic inside Thomas will infiltrate the facility using a RC robo-tank to flush them out."

Each left to take their positions. Raven, in the zabor fang's cockpit, texted quickly to Griffon.

Show's on. Stage 2?

Raven

He and Van waited for Irvine to complete his part before moving into position.

In Metal City, Griffon sent a text…

Begin.

Griffin

On a grande estate deep into emperial territory, a team of men and women dressed head to toe in black uniforms broke into the mansion. The family and service were detained in the living room while one of the women snuck up to the playroom. The child inside was total unaware the danger that surrounded her and continued coloring her picture of a wedding. An alcohol-drenched rag was swiftly placed over her nose and mouth.

While the girl was being taken care of, the leader sent a text to two adresses…

Stage 2 complete.

Unknown

Irvine succeeded in getting their attention. Thomas drove the RC tank inside. He stopped and hid himself when he found someone with cell phone. He barked an order into a communicator, "Stage has been completed. Clear out and blow the building."

Thomas gasped and reported to the others, "They're coming out anyway and are going to blow the building once they've evacuated-."

They thieves had already begun to exit the building in rev raptors. Van and Raven pounce all but two by the time they noticed the getaway. Van growled in a burst of anger to the fleeing thieves, "Oh no you don't!"

Just as the boosters deployed to start the brutal chase, the liger's com link clicked on and Herman shouted in a panic, "Come in GF officers! Something's happened!"

Raven answered, "We're a little busy-!"

Herman paniced, "Lady Mary Anne has been kidnapped!"

"Ice Cream helps me cool down so I figured I'd bring you cone," Aries smiled down at Fang in a heap on the floor. "Swirl can't-do-wrong right?"

She took it gratefully but frowned, "The only thing that's make me feel better is that counselor's head on a fence post."

"Figured that might be the case," he laughed taking a lick off his chocolate cone. "I was gonna come give you the good news when I past the machine for this stuff…We've been removed from the program. Don't have to go anymore and more over we'll get to go on missions with the others soon."

Schubaltz ran down the hall pasted the hanger door. Aries shouted, "Yo where's the fire?"

Schubalt came back and shouted at them, "Both of you in your Zoids now!"

Aries sweat dropped and Fang giggled behind her cone. "What are you waiting for? Go NOW!!"

Fang tried not to laugh and the stress marks in Aries's facial features, "Where to?"

"The Crousovitz Estate now move!" Schubaltz ran away again.

Aries sighed, "Looks like I'm riding with you."

"Oh no you don't," Fang stopped him. "Mine is a one seater and there's a perfectly good Dibison in the corner that's been neglected."

Aries blinked at her, "You're a very bad influence, you know that?"

* * *


End file.
